Lacing-eyelet.



PATENTED JUNE 7. 1904 A. FONTS.

LAGING EYELET.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 27, 1903.

no MODEL.

A TTOHNE Y8 THE "cams vzrms co; PNOTO-LITHO, wnumnmu. u. c.

Wl TNE SSE S UNITED STATES Patented June '7, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

LACING-EYELET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,036, dated June 7, 1904.

Application filed October 27, 1903. Serial No. 178,674. (No model.)

' of the Republic of Cuba, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in

the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Lacing-Eyelet, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention appertains to lacing-eyelets, and has particular application to certain novel and useful improvements in a lacing eyelet designed to be applied to a shoe for holding and retaining the shoe-lace.

In the present instance I have particularly in contemplation the provision of an eyelet of the class described which may be applied to a shoe in substitution of the lacing-hook commonly in use, my eyelet being so constructed that the lace may be readily and easily tightened or loosened, while at the same time it will not be cut, marred, or worn, as is commonly the case with laces secured by the lacing-hooks above referred to.

As is well known, the common form of lacing-hook which is applied to the edges of the opening of a shoe is objectionable, inasmuch as the sharp edges at the sides and front of the hook or at the point of juncture of the hook member with the stud soon out the threads of the lace to such an extent that the latter breaks or parts under the slightest pull. Another disadvantage incident to this form of lacing device is that it is necessary to remove the lacing entirely from the hook in unlacing the shoe and to bring the lace around through the hook portion inlacing the shoe. With my improved lacing-eyelet it is only necessary to give a quick sharp pull upon the lace ends in order to close the opening of the shoe, and the shoe may be opened by merely untying the lace ends and throwing the flaps of the shoe apart.

To the accomplishment of the above-recited ends my invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as is described in this specification, delineated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a view illustrating the manner of employing my improved eyelet. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through the upper por tion of the shoe adjacent to the front opening thereof and showing the manner of securing my lacing-eyelet. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken through a pair of lacingeyelets, substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a-perspective view of one of my improved eyelets.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the letter A designates a shoe of any well-known type, the upper portion B thereof being provided with a plurality of my improved lacing-studs, through which studs is passed the shoe-lace C, the lower portion of the OpeningD of the shoe having a pair of ordinary eyelets E secured therein, the lacingcord passing through such eyelets.

By reference to Figs. 2, 3, and 4 the construction of my improved eyelet will be readily apparent. As will be seen, such eyelet comprises a tubular stud portion 5, having an eyelet-head 6 formed integral therewith, such head being approximately oval in shape. As will be noted, the eyelet although oval in contour is approximately circular in cross-section, the ring or eye portion being relatively thicker and stronger at one side 8 thereof than at the side 9, this latter edge portion or side being designed to be placed nearest to the edge of the opening of the shoe, as is seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, so that the lacing-cord C will bear against the same. The eyelet gradually tapers or decreases in thickness from its widest portion 8 until it reaches the narrowest portion 9, which, as stated, forms a bearing-surface for thelacing-cord. By forming the ring memberof the eyelet rounded in cross-section I avoid any sharp corners or edges which would tend to out or otherwise destroy the lacing.

The eyelet is designed to be secured in the shoe in the manner shown in Fig. 2-that is to say, the stud is projected or forced through the material of the shoe-upper and the lower portion of the tubular stud is then upset or headed, as is shown at 10 in Fig. 2, thus firmly securing the eyelet within the shoe.

While I have described my stud as applied particularly for lacing shoes, it will of course be understood that it may be'put to other uses, such as forming a lacing-eyelet for corsets and the like.

Having thus described my inv cntion, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A lacing-stud comprising a tubular portion, and a head portion formed integral with the tubular portion, said head portion being approximately of the contour of an oval ring, said ring member being substantially circular in cross-section and gradually tapered or decreased in thickness from one side toward the other, the construction being such that the relatively thin rounded side will form a bearing-surface for a lacing-cord.

2. The combination with a shoe, of a lacing eyelet therefor, said eyelet comprising a tubular stud member, and a head member formed on the stud member, said head comprising a ring, the material of said ring being approximately circular in cross section, said ring gradually tapering or decreasing in thickness from one side toward the other, the construction being such that when the eyelet is secured in the shoe, through the medium of the stud, the relatively thin rounded side thereof will be presented to the opening of the shoe and form a bearing-surface for a lacing-cord.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARTURO FONTS. WVitnesses:

J NO. M. BITTER, RICHARD B. CAVANAGH. 

